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by bilgegungoren00



Series: you are the best thing that's ever been mine [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humans AU, prince AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 01:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bilgegungoren00/pseuds/bilgegungoren00
Summary: Mon-El and Kara had been together for four years - the best for years of their life. They not only changed the lives of numerous people in Mon-El's kingdom, they also changed each other's lives for the better, in a way that they can't imagine a life without the other. But nothing is easy for a prince - especially when you have a mother like Queen Rhea.





	1. Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all!!!
> 
> so, it's midnight in Turkey, and i'm way too sleepy to say anything smart here right now, but...well, i just want to say that i'm really, really excited for this story. so i hope you like this as well!
> 
> and also, before reading this, i highly suggest reading the first story in this series before, because it provides a lot of context that you'd miss, so this story might be a bit confusing to you.
> 
> anyway, so, enjoy this!

Kara walked down the hall hurriedly, pulling up the hems of her dress as she reached the stairs. Technically, there was a staff elevator on the _other side_ of the _castle_ that she could use to get to the damn _top floor,_ but right now, the idea of walking there felt even more tedious than walking up three flights of stairs.

And besides, it would take her longer to get to Mon-El’s room.

She’d been out on the garden, tending to the flowers when one of the servants rushed to her side and told her that _the prince_ was asking for her. Even the fact that Mon-El had called himself _the prince_ instead of _Mon-El_ told her that this was serious—he asked the servants to tell her “Mon-El” was asking for her whenever it was only a friendly meeting, so that she could differentiate from pressing castle business and, say, a spontaneous dinner date that Mon-El planned for them in his room. Well, when he didn’t actually come and found her himself. He started doing that more and more frequently throughout their relationship.

So yeah, the fact that he didn’t come himself _and_ the whole “prince” thingy, she knew that either there was something pressing…or his parents were around. Either way, she had to hurry.

So, the stairs it would be.

She thought about what could’ve happened as she mounted the stairs—what his parents might’ve gotten angry about _now_. Well, his mother, really—without Queen Rhea, Lar Gand, the King, was actually a pretty nice person. She remembered that Mon-El had agreed to sign a treaty in the name of Daxam with Krypton a couple of days ago—a mutually benefiting treaty that not only included economic and political ties, but also prevented a war from happening between the two kingdoms. A war that, in some ways, Rhea had prompted, and that Kara and Mon-El had been struggling to find a way to prevent for the last couple of weeks. Now that Mon-El was above twenty-one, he was legally an adult, and thus a full-fledged prince that could decide on matters of the kingdom without needing the approval of his parents.

It was a good thing, too, as Kara was sure Rhea would never allow the signing of that treaty. That was why she and Mon-El had been so secretive about it, deciding on the terms only when they were far away from the castle and away from anyone’s ears.

Kara had never liked the Queen, yet her dislike had quickly turned to hate after getting to know Mon-El personally. That…that despicable woman had turned his life into hell, had almost turned this amazing man into a shell of who he was, pushing him into hating himself. _You saved me from her,_ Mon-El had once confessed to her. _If you hadn’t believed in me, I don’t know if I could’ve believed in myself._

She’d been proud of that, yes, but even the thought of what might’ve happened if she hadn’t reached him in time was horrifying.

But seeing Mon-El now… Not only confident, but also kind and caring, towards his friends and his people… It eased her worries, reminding her that Rhea didn’t have an influence on him anymore. He was saved, and once Rhea was gone, this kingdom would be saved, too, under Mon-El’s rule. She… She doubted a servant like her would be able to be with him then, but that was something to think about when the time came. She didn’t need another thing to worry about.

Approaching Mon-El’s room, Kara slowed her steps, deciding to listen in to the conversation inside before going inside, to at least know what she’d be dealing with.

“—I was just trying to fix what you’ve very spectacularly ruined, Mother!” Mon-El’s yell caused her to wince. Aaaand yep, she hadn’t been wrong. This was about that Krypton treaty.

“What I’ve ruined? I did what I had to for Daxam!”

“Oh, don’t even try to lie about it. You only did it for yourself.”

“How dare you—“

“You knew a war with Krypton would ruin us! We’re already struggling with money, Mother; we can’t go against a developed kingdom like Krypton and survive. Thousands of our people would die. Is that what you want?” Rhea didn’t say anything, and Kara felt her stomach drop. Realization hit her only then. Uh-oh. “…It is what you wanted, isn’t it? So that you can—“

“Ever since you started your despicable community outreach projects, we’ve been losing prestige and wealth. I had to do something to thin out the poor population.” Kara didn’t know what she was more disgusted about: Rhea’s words or the nonchalance in his voice as she said them.

Mon-El must’ve been in the same situation, because he could answer only a couple of seconds later. “If you’re waiting for me to apologize for them, Mother, I won’t. It’s your rule that dragged those people into poverty in the first place. And if I have to spare a fraction of my wealth, which is far more than what I need, to help them, to provide them homes, to create them jobs, I will do it. That’s what a good ruler does.”

Pride flickered in Kara’s chest as she finally stepped forward to knock on the door. She was afraid Rhea would go too far if this conversation went on longer.

“Come in.” Pushing the door, she stepped in, her eyes casted down as always. While she didn’t have a problem with looking at Mon-El directly, even barging into his room sometimes, she didn’t risk it with Rhea. If the woman found out about her relationship with Mon-El…

She didn’t even want to think.

Quickly bowing to the Queen and Mon-El, she turned to the latter. “You asked for me, my Prince?” she uttered softly, putting on an innocent expression. Nobody needed to know that she was eavesdropping. Yet she did dare a quick glance at Mon-El, only to see his tense expression. His eyes only softened when he looked at her.

“Yeah. Kara.” She almost smiled at hearing her name from his mouth—almost. “I wanted to ask… Can you prepare my painting supplies and meet me in the garden in fifteen minutes? I need to clear my head a little bit.” Kara nodded immediately, bowing again before leaving. It was hard to contain the excitement in her heart. These “painting sessions” with Mon-El—which were actually a cover for their dates—meant that they’d get some alone time—with only two of Mon-El’s guards accompanying them, whom he always ordered to stay away from them so that they didn’t have to worry about people knowing about them—and God knew she needed alone time with her boyfriend. Dealing with this Krypton thingy, they barely had time to just relax together, and today would be the perfect day for that.

She closed the door behind her, yet she still didn’t miss Mon-El’s last words, directed at her mother. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have stuff to take care of. I believe we’re done here anyway, as you won’t be able to convince me to pull back my signature from the treaty.” He stopped for a second. “You know, there was a reason that I added the clause that only the people who signed it could veto it.”

Kara couldn’t help smiling at that. _That’s my Mon-El._

* * *

“Sometimes I think that it’s impossible for my mother to disappoint me even more than she does daily.” Kara watched him as Mon-El said those words, his eyes trained on a spot in front of them. “And then she goes and does something like this, proving me wrong yet again.”

“I’m sorry,” she couldn’t help saying, even though she hated that those two empty words were all that she could offer him. But Mon-El just smiled, as if even the fact that she was there with him was enough.

“Don’t be, babe. You’re the last person that has to feel sorry.”

“I’m still sorry.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “I mean, elevating the rich at the expense of the poor… That I can understand to some extent. It’s not so different than what other kingdoms are doing. But… But trying to get rid of the poor population with a war… It’s…” She didn’t have the right words for it. Feeling her discomfort, Mon-El inched closer to her, lightly wrapping an arm around her.

“Sickening?” he offered quietly. She could only nod. Sickening…and so much worse. She looked up at him.

“Daxam is really lucky to have you, you know,” she couldn’t help saying. If it didn’t, Kara wouldn’t be surprised if half the kingdom went up in flames.

“Daxam is really lucky that I have _you,_ ” Mon-El countered. “I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you, Kara.”

“I didn’t do—“

“If you finish that sentence with _anything,_ I’m seriously going to consider smacking some sense into you.” He pulled back from her only to look at her in the eyes. “If it wasn’t for you, Kara, I would’ve stayed as that spoiled, useless brat my mother turned me into over the years. And I wouldn’t have even realized that anything was wrong with it. Granted, I did hate myself most of the time, but it was only when I met you that I realized the power to change all of that was in my hands. It is thanks to you that Daxam is in a better place now, not thanks to _me.”_ His voice was so intense that there was no way not to believe him. Kara blinked back a couple of tears. Damn, in moments like this, she couldn’t help falling even more in love with him.

“I think you’re giving a lot of credit to a servant,” she couldn’t help whispering with a shake of her head. Mon-El chuckled.

“I don’t think you’re giving enough credit to yourself,” he argued, arching his brow. “I mean, you did turn a total brat into a well-functioning prince. Despite what all those young adults books might make you believe, that is not that easy.”

“Huh. I guess that’s right. I did turn you into a model citizen. What would you have done without me?” His smile widened.

“Wallowing about how horrible my life is?” he offered. After four years of being together, four years after she pulled Mon-El out of his own misery, they were able to joke and laugh about his past without feeling a pang of pain.

“Probably.” She’d been so focused on him that she noticed the picnic blanket laid _literally_ right in front of her too late. If Mon-El’s arm wasn’t wrapped around her waist and he held her back, she would’ve stepped all over the food—and what a waste that would be. She arched her brow. Was this… “Um… Mon-El?”

He couldn’t have prepared a _picnic_ for her, right? Not that he wouldn’t do it, but…would he _risk_ it? This would’ve required asking someone to prepare all this food, come here, and set it all up, and…and if someone found out it was _her_ that all this was for…

She looked up at him. “Please tell me you didn’t have someone prepare this for us.”

“Winn did it,” Mon-El quickly explained to ease her worry. She felt her shoulders relax. Okay, well, so there actually was nothing to worry about. Winn, a.k.a. Mon-El’s best friend and personal guard, already knew about their relationship, and would never betray it to anyone. “And to be honest, I was… I was kind of sick of all those sneaking around, not being able to do whatever we want. Trust me, if I had my way, this wouldn’t be our first picnic. So I just… I just said what the hell. Let’s do it.” He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. “I hope it’s okay.”

Gosh, was that even a question? Happiness bubbled in Kara’s chest as she laughed. “Mon-El, it’s more than okay. But you know that you don’t need to do any of this for me, right? I knew what I was getting myself into when we started dating, and, well, it _has_ been more than four years now…” It felt almost unbelievable, that they’d been together for so long, but at the same time Kara wasn’t surprised. One reason they worked so well was that they’d been friends for _so long_ before they even got together. They understood each other in a way two people jumping directly into a relationship might not be able to.

“Well, yeah, sure,” Mon-El said, sitting on the blanket and pulling her down by his side, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to treat my girlfriend with picnics every now and then.” He grabbed a strawberry from the bowl—a chocolate covered strawberry, which might be Kara’s favorite thing in the entire world—and extended it to her. “Strawberry?”

She only laughed, biting into it without objection.

The conversation quickly drifted off to less serious topics as they began to eat. And damn, Kara couldn’t help thinking, Winn really worked hard for this. There was so many food on the blanket that he must’ve had at least a couple of people prepare this for them. She noted at the back of her mind to thank him when they got back to the castle.

“How’s college going?” Mon-El asked a couple of seconds later, taking her out of her thoughts and the strawberries she’d focused on. A smile pulled her lips. Right now, she was a junior in one of the most prestigious colleges in Daxam—it seemed like a recommendation letter from the _prince_ himself went long ways to make up for the years she’d waited after high school to apply—studying molecular biology. Even the letter was enough for her to be thankful to him, but he was also paying all the costs. She had no idea how she’d be able to make up to him.

Even though he claimed she had nothing to pay him back for, as just making happy was enough for him. He also claimed the tutoring costs didn’t even create a dent in his bank account—which, knowing the numbers, was actually true—so she didn’t push him much. If he was happy doing this, then she wouldn’t take it from him.

He already had so few things he could do just for himself.

“It’s really amazing. We’re actually working on a potential cure for cancer now,” she said excitedly. “It’s… Well, it’s a bunch of molecular biology mumbo jumbo, but we think it could offer a safe and effective alternative to chemotherapy with relatively few side effects. If it works the way we hope it will, it might save a lot of lives.” Mon-El smiled at her.

“Well, look at you, being all heroic, saving lives…”

“Not yet,” Kara said, even though she thought the treatment was pretty promising. “We still have a bunch of tests we need to do before we can even start the clinical trials. But that reminds me.” She lifted her head to look at her. “Our professor, Ms. Grant, said that our research might be postponed a bit, because apparently there was a funding problem in the school? She said that the Queen drew back her funding from the molecular biology department. Did you hear anything about it?” A frown pulled his brows.

“No…but after today, honestly, that wouldn’t surprise me. I’ll look into it as soon as we get back.” Relief washed over Kara. She smiled gratefully at him.

“Thanks. Because… Well, I think our research might actually help people, and it’d be really bad if it was cut just because of some budgeting problems.”

“Yeah. I’ll fix it. Don’t worry. I’ll…” He seemed a bit distressed, and considering just how much work he was juggling, she wasn’t surprised at all. “I’ll figure out a way to get you that funding.”

“You’re amazing,” Kara couldn’t help saying as she leaned forward to press a kiss on his cheek. “I know I say that a lot, but you’re amazing.”

“I don’t mind that.” He gave her a cheeky grin, and she couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She sighed.

“Aaaand now you ruined it all.” Mon-El just laughed and leaned back, opting to stay quiet instead of answering.

“How’s Alex?” he asked a couple of seconds later, popping a strawberry inside his mouth. “It’s been some time since I last saw her.” Alex was one other person that knew about Kara and Mon-El’s relationship, having met Mon-El a couple of times, secretly. She still remembered the first time she told her sister that Mon-El would be visiting—and despite her promises that Alex didn’t need to do anything special just because he was the prince, the woman had been pretty nervous.

But after that first visit, after realizing how casual Mon-El was, he and Alex had struck up a pretty close friendship, and Kara couldn’t help feeling so grateful that the two most important people in her life cared about each other as well.

“Oh, she’s great,” she said, and she couldn’t help thinking just how good it felt to say that without lying. Because Alex really _was_ great. She was studying medicine at a prestigious medical school, all thanks to Mon-El _again_. She was, as Kara heard, the top of her class, and she already landed a summer internship at Daxam International Hospital. But most of all, she had a loving girlfriend, Samantha Arias, and a sort-of-step-daughter, Ruby, from Sam’s jerk ex boyfriend. Alex was, finally, truly happy, and that was honestly all Kara could ask for. “She’s enjoying her vacation right now. She went skiing with Samantha.”

“Her girlfriend?”

“Yup. I think they’re getting serious.” She smiled when she remembered her last conversation with Alex. “She just told me that Ruby finally started calling her ‘mom’.” Alex had always seen Ruby as her daughter, and Kara could imagine how happy Alex must’ve been when Ruby started seeing her as her mother as well.

“Oh. That’s so sweet.” Kara couldn’t help chuckling at his reaction.

“Are you softening, my Prince?” she couldn’t help teasing him, even though she knew, despite having the outer appearance of a high school jerk, he actually had the biggest heart in the world. He scoffed at the question.

“Come on. As if you don’t know that I’m a big, soft hearted guy.” A laugh escaped her lips.

“That’s true,” she had to admit, watching him inch closer to her. “Just a—“ He kissed him before she could continue, pushing her down on the grass. Her thoughts were immediately replaced by fire coursing through her body. Lifting her hands, she ran her fingers through his hair, letting her eyes flutter close. She let herself go to the kiss, letting her muscles relax at Mon-El’s comforting touch. There was a time kissing him brought an overwhelming rush of emotions at her, but after years… She just felt at home. She felt safe, and that was a lot better than feeling on the edge.

“What were you saying?” Mon-El asked as he pulled back, arching his brow at her.

“Shut up.” Kara pulled him close and kissed him again instead of answering.

They were so caught up in the kiss that they didn’t notice the two pair of eyes watching them from behind the trees.


	2. Threat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all!
> 
> sorry this took me so long to update, but it was my exam week in school, so i was pretty much dying all week lol :) but it's over now, so wohoo! hopefully the next update should be faster :)
> 
> anyway, hope you enjoy this!

* * *

 There was a jump in Kara’s step as she walked down the castle halls, just having returned from her little “picnic” with Mon-El. Her heart still fluttered when she thought about just…just how much he must’ve worked, how much he must’ve _risked_ planning the whole thing. Especially in a time like this, when his relationship with his mother was so tentative because of the whole Krypton thing…

She shouldn’t _really_ be surprised, though. That was just how Mon-El was like. Always looking for ways to make his loved ones happy. He’d go to unimaginable lengths to make that happen, even if it could put him in danger. Even if it wasn’t particularly easy.

Wasn’t that exactly why she’d fallen in love with him in the first place? Once he cracked the shell his mother put around him, once he realized his own potential and that he could be who he wanted to be, he’d worked _so hard_ to become a good person. To be successful, studious, brave, kind; to help anyone that he could; to dedicate his life to the well-being of others… He’d become the prince that Kara always dreamed of, but thought only existed in fairytales.

He’d become the prince that Daxam needed.

No wonder the kingdom loved him to death. She saw it in people’s eyes whenever she went out of the castle to visit her sister. She saw it on their faces whenever she attended one of Mon-El’s community help project. She saw it in their smiles whenever he went out just to see what his kingdom was like and how he could help it. She heard it in their words and felt it in their souls. The kingdom, after suffering for years and years in Rhea’s claws, was now embracing the prince that helped them up their feet. And one day, when Rhea and Lar died and Mon-El became the king, he would be Daxam’s salvation.

Those thoughts spun around in Kara’s mind, filling her with an unexplainable pride and love as she made her way to her room. She was so distracted that she didn’t notice the light coming from under what was supposed to be her dark room, she didn’t remember that she’d turned off the light before she went out, and she certainly didn’t notice, at least at first, the woman standing in front of her dresser.

The woman she only saw after she closed the door behind him.

Her heart plummeted in her chest.

She didn’t need the woman to turn around to see it was no one but the Queen herself.

Rhea’s icy gaze found her, and a vicious smile spread on the woman’s face. Kara knew, even from that, that this wasn’t a friendly visit.

And she had a sneaking suspicion as to what this might be about.

The picnic… It had been too risky. They’d gone too far without thinking about the consequences. Someone… Someone must’ve spilled the beans to Rhea. The cooks that prepared their food? The servants that prepared the blanket? Someone else? It didn’t matter now. Especially not when Kara couldn’t even be angry at Mon-El for risking the picnic. He just wanted to make her happy; he couldn’t have known that someone would betray him.

“Oh, good,” Rhea’s words interrupted her thoughts. “You’re here. And I was wondering how long that little _picnic_ of yours would last.”

So Rhea really knew. Kara made sure she didn’t move a muscle as she watched the woman grab one of the framed photographs. She hoped that her heart wasn’t beating as loudly as she felt like, and that Rhea couldn’t hear her fear. One thing the Queen excelled at was preying on people’s fears.

“Is this your sister?” Rhea asked, turning the photograph so that Kara could see it. It was a picture of her and Alex—a very recent picture as well. Just from that summer, on the last day of college. “I have to say, you two don’t look alike—oh, wait. You were adopted, weren’t you?” Kara could only gulp at that, trying to push back her tears. “Mon-El did always have a fondness for broken things.”

Kara didn’t even question how Rhea knew that as she flinched. If it were anyone else, she would’ve been able to lift her chin and defy them. She wasn’t _broken,_ she would’ve argued. But Rhea had a way of making someone feel so, _so_ small, that you couldn’t even find something to argue with.

“Your Majesty,” she could only croak out through her thundering heart. She didn’t know what she could say to make things better—she didn’t even know what to say, _period_. “If there’s anything—“

“Cut the crap, Kara,” Rhea hissed before she could even get a word out. “You know perfectly well why I am here right now.”

Fear gripped Kara’s heart as Rhea moved through the room closer to her—so close that the normally spacious room felt too small to Kara. Well, her room wasn’t too spacious, per se, but it was big enough for a person. Now it was just suffocative.

“I—“ That was all Kara could croak out before Rhea interrupted her.

“You see, I saw the change in Mon-El from the first day. He was studying more, he wasn’t lazying around as much, and he seemed like he actually cared about Daxam’s business. I thought it was a good change. He was finally working his way through becoming the king. Until I got a letter from Forest Lake University, asking for him to make a speech there in return for his funding to the financial aid fund. _His help tripled the number of our financial aid students,_ was what they said. A funding I was never made aware of.”

The memory sprung into Kara’s mind. It was one of the first community help projects that Mon-El did. It was through her that he realized the number of young adults who couldn’t get a college education because of the high tuition costs, and while he could pay for Kara and Alex’s tuition personally, a funding to the school would ensure that more people would be able to study without the burden of the costs. But of course they had to work without Rhea’s knowledge, as she’d _never_ allow for such a thing to happen. Her care for the country ended at rich people.

“Imagine my surprise when I heard that. A funding I never approved of, but apparently Mon-El did _the day_ after he turned eighteen, using his now legal rights. And there was nothing I could do about it, because pulling it back would only make me look bad in the eyes of the most prestigious university in Daxam.” Rhea took another step closer. She was right in Kara’s face now. _Too close,_ especially for Kara’s tightened nerves.

“And it didn’t stop there. There were the food deliveries. There were the schools that he opened. There were the houses that he built for the homeless. There were the raises that he gave to all castle employees—including you, I’d assume. In four years, his projects cost us millions of dollars.”

_Still not enough to bankrupt you,_ Kara couldn’t help thinking. _Not enough to even keep you from flourishing._ The castle was earning enough money to pay for twice the amount of stuff Mon-El did.

And besides, wasn’t the job of a ruler providing for his or her people? It wasn’t earning money; it was spending that money for the benefit of others, keeping to yourself only what you needed to get by and maybe a little bit more.

But she couldn’t get the words out. She couldn’t even move, staring at Rhea, seeing her step closer and closer. “It was enough to make me wish that he stayed as a careless jerk. I’ve been wondering ever since what made him change so much. And I think…I’m staring at the reason now.” The Queen’s eyes were cold enough to freeze Kara from inside, but a flicker in her heart fought through the cold. A part that loved Mon-El, that was so proud of him and everything he did.

“He became better,” she whispered, straightening up her shoulders. A newfound determination filled her. “He’s what a good ruler should be—“ Before she could even continue, Rhea stepped forward, stopping her words by grabbing her face from her chin. Her nails were digging enough into her cheeks to hurt. She was sure there’d be nail marks after this.

Yet that wasn’t the primary concern right now.

“What gives you the right to tell me what a good ruler should be like? You, nothing but a servant? You wouldn’t know one thing about managing a kingdom, let alone ruling it.” Tears were already prickling Kara’s eyes, both from the physical pain in her cheeks and her heart hammering against her ribs with fear. “And if you ever thought that your relationship with Mon-El would get anywhere, you’re more delusional than I thought you were. He’s a _prince_ , and when he gets older, he’ll marry a princess that deserves to be with him. A princess that can offer him much more than you can ever hope to. You’re _nothing_ compared to him.”

The first tears streamed from Kara’s eyes. She couldn’t even argue, because deep down she agreed with Rhea. Deep down, she knew she could never compare to Mon-El’s future girlfriends, and deep down, she knew that they’d have to break up eventually. There was no other way this could end.

“You’re leaving this castle tonight,” Rhea continued, her voice low and menacing. Kara’s eyes widened with the words. She couldn’t help shivering. “You’re packing your bags and getting out. I don’t care where you go, as long as I don’t see you next to my son again. If I do… I’ll make sure your body is never found.”

That was the last thing Rhea said, staring at Kara for a couple of seconds in silence, before she left the room. The picture she took from the counter, the picture she’d been holding had fallen onto the floor at some point, and the glass was broken in a way that distorted Kara’s face.

Kara stared at the picture for a couple of minutes through her blurry vision before she broke down crying, the sobs leaving her mouth in short hiccups.


	3. Suitcase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello y'all!
> 
> soooo i know that it isn't fair i literally wrote another chapter to this story when i have like two other to write, but i was feeling really sick this whole weekend, and this was the only fanfic i felt like writing. but don't worry, i'll be getting to the others as soon as possible ;)
> 
> anyway, hope you like this chapter!

 

* * *

The suitcase was too small, and Kara had too much stuff. The thing was filled to the brim, and her bed was still covered with clothes and souvenirs, pictures and notebooks. And she hadn’t even cleared out all her drawers.

Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to push down on her suitcase. She’d been…pushing the limits, she knew. There was no way she would be able to fit _all her stuff_ in one suitcase. Even she was surprised just how much she collected over the years, especially considering this job was supposed to be just a temporary one. Yet the castle, this room… It’d turned into her home, in a way it was never meant to be. Mon-El had made it her home.

A home she was leaving behind.

Kara’s vision blurred as she grabbed another piece of clothing. A dress, this time—the dress she wore to her and Mon-El’s first dinner date. It had to be very secretive, so much so that she did have to change and do makeup in his room so that no one knew what they were doing, but it was worth it. It had still been the best date she’d had.

The easier thing would be to put the piece of clothing into the suitcase. To forget about it. But instead, Kara sat on the bed, bringing the cloth close to her chest. She couldn’t even move as she sat there. She knew she had mere hours left before she had to leave. Rhea had said tomorrow, and Kara didn’t want to risk whether that meant the morning or right after midnight. But every muscle in her body, every feeling in her heart told her to stay. To tell Mon-El everything that Rhea told her. They’d figure out a way. She knew they could. He would never let her get away like this. He’d find a way to make her stay.

And that was exactly why she couldn’t tell him about it. As much as she hated Rhea… The Queen was right. She wasn’t a right fit for Mon-El. He deserved to be with princesses, not a…not a servant. Not a mere ordinary girl. He was worth way more than that. Besides, it wasn’t even just about what Mon-El deserved. It was about whom the prince _should_ marry as well. He couldn’t very well marry a commoner. He had a reputation to uphold. Their relationship… It was doomed from the beginning, and they’d just been fooling themselves, thinking they could be together.

It would be better if she just left, without telling him anything. It would… It would make leaving much easier. She didn’t think she could handle it if she talked to Mon-El anyway.

Just like pulling off a band-aid. Except..the band-aid was huge and sticky, and removing it would take off a piece of herself as well.

Bowing her head, Kara looked at the red fabric in her hands. Technically, the red of the dress had washed off slightly and wasn’t as bright as when she bought it, but it was still special. It was home.

She took a deep breath to gather her strength again and stood up. The dress went into the already overfilled suitcase over her other stuff.

She was just reaching for a framed picture—what hurt maybe the most was the fact that she and Mon-El didn’t even have printed pictures, as they could never risk someone finding them—when the door of her room opened. Even from the way the person barged in before knocking told her who it was.

“Well, gooooood afternoon, my—“ Mon-El’s words were cut. He’d stopped midway into the room when he saw the mess, and Kara had frozen standing next to her suitcase, her back to Mon-El. She shut her eyes, clinging the sides of the suitcase to keep herself together. “Kara?” She heard Mon-El step forward to her side. “Wh-What’s going on?” His voice was shaking with fear. Kara knew how this must’ve looked to him. The suitcase, her stuff scattered around… He must’ve thought she was leaving…which was true, but it probably wasn’t because of the reason he thought.

Kara couldn’t smother her sobs anymore. They escaped from her mouth as her knees gave up, and if it wasn’t for Mon-El holding her before she could fall, she would’ve definitely found herself on the floor.

“Hey,” she heard Mon-El whisper into her ear as they moved—Kara didn’t know where, though, as her face was pressed on his shoulder. Mon-El sat her on something—presumably the bed. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here. It’s okay.”

_No,_ Kara thought, balling his t-shirt in her hands. _Not for long. Not forever._

“You’re okay.”

_I’m not._

“You’re with me.”

_I won’t be._

“It’s okay. Everything is okay.”

_Nothing is okay._ The words circled around in Kara’s head over and over again. _Nothing is okay._ She might be in Mon-El’s arms now, but it wouldn’t last for long. It’d have to end tonight. _Nothing is okay._ Whatever comfort he offered… It wasn’t as infinite as she thought it would be. Their relationship would end, and she wasn’t prepared for it. She wasn’t ready.

“Hey.” Mon-El pulled back slightly to cup her cheeks. He guided her head up so that they were eye-to-eye. “I’m here, babe. Please don’t cry, okay? I hate seeing you cry. I’m with you. We can fix…whatever is going on together, okay?”

Kara ducked her chin again. She couldn’t look him in the eye while saying the words. Instead, she fixed her eyes to a spot on the ground, sliding her hands down his chest. “That’s the thing, Mon-El,” she whispered, her voice cracking in the middle. “We can’t fix this.” She pushed herself up from the bed and stood up, turning her back to him. He might’ve already seen her crying, but she didn’t want him to know just how distraught she was. Just how much she was hurting.

It would only increase the pain.

“We can’t know if we don’t try,” Mon-El objected, standing up. “Talk to me, Kara.”

Kara wrapped her arms around herself after swiping away a stray tear. “Your mother found out about us,” she whispered so quietly that she wouldn’t even know whether Mon-El heard her or not if it hadn’t been for his gasp. “And now she’s asking me to leave, or else…” She closed her eyes and gulped. “Or else she’s going to _kill me._ ”

Kara waited for Mon-El to say something, anything really, but when he stayed silent she just turned around to walk towards the bed, to her suitcase. She deliberately avoided looking at Mon-El as she closed it. There was no way she was getting all her stuff in there anyway. She could maybe… “I can’t fit all my stuff in here,” she rushed out before she broke down into sobs again. “Can you send them to my—“

“No.” Mon-El stopped her before she could finish. He grabbed her hands to stop from closing the suitcase. “No, you’re not leaving.”

Kara bit the inside of her cheek. The physical pain was a better alternative than the cracks splitting her heart. “I don’t have a choice.”

“You do. Kara, there’s always a choice, and I’m not letting my…my mother ruin us.”

“She already did…and it isn’t just about that anyway.” Kara pressed her lips together. _It’s about me not being a right fit for you. It’s about you being the prince. And princes don’t go out with servants._

“Then what is it? I thought… I thought you were happy with me—“

“It’s not just about what I feel about you!” Kara almost yelled, so much so that Mon-El had to step back. She took a deep breath before finally closing the suitcase with shaky hands. “It’s about you being the prince,” she rushed out, her words coming out so fast that it was a miracle they were even intelligible, “and princes go out with other princesses. They don’t go out with servants. Thinking our relationship could actually last was just stupid.” She pulled the suitcase down to the floor, pulling it to the door—until Mon-El stepped in her way.

“Kara, you’re _not_ just a servant.” His eyes were filled with a determined flare. “You should know that.”

A broken smile pulled Kara’s lips. “Legally I am,” she whispered. “Officially I am.” She looked at his eyes for one more second, seeing them break right in front of her, before she tried to sidestep him to reach the door.

He didn’t let her. He was on her way again, his palm pressed against the door. Next to the pain in his face, there was something else. Fear. Fear of living without her, of losing her. “Then I’ll give up my title,” he rushed out with a shake of his head. “I’ll come with you. We can run away together. I don’t… I don’t care about being the prince if you’re not by my side. I’d rather be with you than…than…” He couldn’t even finish his sentence, and Kara saw tears filling his eyes. Her heart ached for him. _He truly loves me,_ she couldn’t help thinking. _This was never just something temporary to him._ But love didn’t always mean two people could be together.

“And leave the kingdom to Rhea?” she said softly. His face crumbled. They both knew he couldn’t do that. “You have to be there for your people, to protect them from Rhea. They need you.” _More than I need you._ The unsaid words hung between them, and they felt too heavy that Kara had to avert her gaze for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage again to look at Mon-El. It hurt her physically to see the pain on his face. “Mon-El,” she whispered, stepping forward and cupping her cheek. “Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.” She reached up to press a kiss on his lips—one last kiss. A farewell kiss, whispering the words she couldn’t say: _This is the last time we’ll be seeing each other_.

She pulled back quickly, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to walk away if she stayed close to him anymore. Turning around, she reached for the door handle. Mon-El’s hand limply fell to his side, letting her open the door—

“Wait.” She had to stop with Mon-El’s words, and that little hesitation allowed him to close the door again. “Wait, there’s another way around this. There’s another way we can fight this.” Kara shut her eyes, trying to push back her tears—as if it would mean anything. Her cheeks were already as wet as they could be.

“Mon-El, there’s no way this ends without hurt—“

“Rhea can’t hurt you if you’re my wife. It would be treason.” Kara stopped in her place with his words, whipping her head around to look at him. Did he really just say…

“Wh-What?”

Mon-El bit down on her lip as he took a deep breath, trying to relax his shoulders and straighten up. “I… I really wanted to do this at a happier time, but I guess I don’t have a choice now.” He reached into his pocket and took out a…

Kara stopped breathing.

A ring box. He took out a _ring box._

Kara didn’t think Mon-El was breathing either as he flipped it open. The ring inside… It wasn’t as glamorous or fancy as one might expect from a prince. It was definitely not as big as those rings you saw in TV shows. It was just a small, blue diamond resting on a silver band. Yet it was all the more beautiful for it. It represented, in a way, how their relationship had been like. It had never been about glamour or money. It had always been their normal, their support, and that was exactly what the ring said.

“I don’t care about the regulations,” Mon-El said when Kara managed to tear her eyes away from the ring. “I don’t care about who you are or who I am. I love you, Kara, and I want to be with you. You’re exactly what I need, not some…some random princess. And… You’re exactly what this kingdom needs as well, because it’s thanks to you that I’ve become who I am now, and it’s thanks to you I’m trying to help them.” He stopped for a second to search her eyes. “I can’t do this without you.”

“Mon-El…” That was all Kara could say—well, that wasn’t true, exactly. She wanted to say yes, _badly,_ to believe that this was possible, but doubt was churning in her stomach and the questions of _what if_ filled her mind. “I don’t—“

Her words were cut by someone knocking on Kara’s door. They both jumped, their eyes turning to the sound. Kara’s heart skipped a beat.

It couldn’t be Rhea, right?

Mon-El was the first who dared moving, looking through the peephole to see who came. A confused frown pulled his brows. He stared at Kara for a second before moving to open the door.

That should’ve been an indication that it wasn’t Rhea, yet Kara still held her breath as she looked outside. It was…

“Eve?” Well, technically, Eve—Kara’s best friend and another servant in the castle—wasn’t the only one there. There were tens of people behind her—hundreds of people almost, filling the hallway and beyond. Even stretching her head, Kara couldn’t see the end of it. And they were all castle employees. Cooks, guards, servants, gardeners… Everyone Kara knew, everyone she saw around the castle, _every single employee_ seemed to be there. “What are you guys doing here?”

Eve crossed her arms over her chest. For someone who was usually so bubbly and joyous, she seemed overly serious. “We are here to help you guys,” she said, her eyes flickering between her and Mon-El. Kara arched her brow. Help with…what? Eve didn’t even know she and Mon-El were dating.

Well, okay, at this point she might’ve guessed, but still…

“I don’t understand,” Kara said, looking for Mon-El for support. He seemed confused, yet…yet hopeful. His eyes seemed to be shining with a newfound light.

“Oh, come on, Kara,” Eve rolled her eyes. “You really didn’t think that no one in the castle knew about your relationship with our prince, right?” Kara’s eyes widened. “None of us are stupid enough to miss the stolen glances between you, the way your eyes light up when you see each other, how Mon-El seems to spend every bit of free time he has with you…”

Oh. Okay. So. Eve knew. As well as the whole castle. And Eve was…on the first name basis with Mon-El? Kara glanced at her boyfriend, only to find him smiling slightly. She… She, on the other hand, was suspicious. She turned back to Eve. “Then why didn’t you tell the Queen?” she couldn’t help asking. It was incredible that Rhea only found out _now_ if all her workers knew about this.

This time, Eve’s face softened. She uncrossed her arms, looking at Mon-El. “You made him a better person,” she said, referencing Mon-El. “You changed him, and thanks to that, our work conditions have improved immensely in the last four years.”

“Yeah,” Kara heard a lady say from the middle of the crowd. She couldn’t recognize the voice—not that it really mattered. “Our Prince offered me enough money for my wife’s treatment.”

“He lengthened our vacations so that we could go see our families more often,” another person said—a guy. The voices filled the room slowly then, everyone speaking one by one.

“He provided us free transportation. We didn’t have to give up seeing our families because it would cost a lot.”

“He gave all of us a raise.”

“He gave my children financial aid so that they can study in a private high school.”

“He saved my baby’s life. Without him, she would never get the treatment she needed.”

Everyone— _everyone_ —was saying something. Mon-El had touched the lives of everyone in this room, had changed it for better. And Kara could see now why no one breathed a word to Rhea. She could see why they all kept it a secret. They were grateful to him…and in a way, her. Tears filled Kara’s eyes.

“You changed our lives, my Prince,” Eve told Mon-El at the end. “You and Kara. So we want to help you in any way we can, to make sure Rhea doesn’t get to you or hurt you.” She searched Mon-El’s eyes. “Is there anything we can do for you?”

Mon-El’s gaze turned to Kara. She saw that he had tears in his eyes too, even though he was smiling as well. Finally, the corners of Kara’s lips tipped up. She realized… She didn’t need to be a princess to be with Mon-El. She needed to care about Daxam, she needed to help its people, and it seemed like… She’d done that. She’d already done that, which meant… Mon-El had been right. She wasn’t just a servant.

She was Mon-El’s girlfriend. Fiancée. And maybe… She reached for the ring box in his hand. “I think there’s a wedding we need to plan for tonight,” she said before she turned to Eve. “We could use your help with that.”


	4. Treason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all!!!
> 
> i know i haven't updated any fanfic for a couple of weeks at least (ooooops) but school had been crazy lately, the AP exams are approaching and i'm basically struggling not to cry in a corner every day lol :) but i have another fanfic i plan to post next week (a short fluffy one shot because god knows i need to write something fluffy) and hopefully, after the APs i'll be able to post more frequently ;)
> 
> anyway, hope you like this!

* * *

“You look stunning.” That was the first thing Mon-El said the moment Kara entered the room. She glared at him.

“I don’t,” she objected, crossing her arms over her chest. “I look like I just got out of bed and didn’t even bother brushing my hair.”

“You don’t.”

“And put on the first dress that came into my hand.”

“That’s not—“

“And—“

“Kara.” Mon-El stopped her as he stepped towards her, pressing a finger on her lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. “You look _stunning.”_

Even knowing objectively that Mon-El’s words were a total lie, she couldn’t help smiling.

Granted, even she had to admit she didn’t look _horrible._ But even Rhea’s personal makeup artists and tailors couldn’t create a miracle in a couple of hours. So yes, her hair looked decently put together in a bun, her makeup was decent for only about half an hour of work, and her dress was… Well, at least it looked like a wedding dress. The tailors had only enough time to turn one of her more expensive dresses into something that resembled a wedding gown.

It certainly wasn’t the look she’d wish for her dream wedding, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t happy about it. This was… This was all she ever wanted but never dared to hope for. She was a servant, and even in her wildest dreams servants didn’t marry princes. Hell, princes didn’t want to marry servants. Why would they, when they could have rich and beautiful princesses by their side?

But Mon-El wasn’t any other prince. He was special. He was humble, and kind, and loving, and one’s status or income was the last thing he cared about. Most of all, though… He loved her. He loved her enough that he’d fight to have her stay, and he loved her so much that he’d risk marrying her.

How the hell had she gotten so lucky to have him?

“I’m sorry that we couldn’t find something better.” She slipped away from her thoughts with Mon-El’s words, and frowned at him.

“What?”

“For the wedding. You know, the dress, the venue, everything… I’m sorry it was so rushed. I’m sure this isn’t even close to your dream wedding.” Kara stared at him for a second before laughing. She reached up to cup his cheeks.

“Mon-El, any wedding that I’m marrying you is gonna be a dream wedding for me.“

“But—“

“If you’re gonna say the situation isn’t ideal, you’re right,” she cut him before he could say something probably self-deprecating. He really could use some more confidence, if she had to be honest. “Five years ago, I would’ve never dreamed of a wedding like this. But I’ve changed since then, just as my dreams changed. So have you, for that fact. And I’m sure your answer won’t be fancy clothes or expensive drinks or fireworks if I ask you to describe your dream wedding.” She arched her brow as if to challenge him, and he had to smile.

“It’d be you,” he confessed, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. She let her eyes close.

“It’s the same for me.” They stayed that way for a while, just letting each other’s presence calm them. But Kara had to pull back a while later, because there were still too many unanswered questions and doubts milling around in her head. Her smile had slipped off of her face as she searched his eyes.

“Mon-El… I have to ask you something,” she said quietly. He opened his mind, his face morphing into a serious expression. He let her continue without saying anything. “Are you… Are you sure about all of this?”

He just arched his brow.

“I mean… You know, everything happened so fast that we didn’t have a moment to stop and think about what we actually want. And I want this, don’t get me wrong, but—“

“Kara,” he cut her words softly. “Do you think I would be carrying an engagement ring in my pocket if I didn’t think about marrying you?” His hand went down to hers, and swiped over the ring that he gave her—that he literally took out of his pocket as if it was nothing, as he just reminded her. He shook his head. “It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision for me.”

“But your mother…” she couldn’t help saying, still not completely convinced. As confident as she was that Mon-El loved her, or as bad as the Queen was, Rhea was still Mon-El’s mother and, well, the Queen.

But Mon-El just clenched his teeth and shook his head before she could even explain that. “She stopped being my mother the moment she threatened to kill you. Hey.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “Where is this hesitation coming from now?”

Kara felt stupid even saying it. She closed her eyes, dropping her hands from Mon-El’s shoulders onto his chest. “I just don’t want you to regret marrying a commoner when you could’ve been with a princess.” She wanted to bury her head on his chest. God, hadn’t he told her multiple times that she wasn’t just a servant for him? He’d made sure, at every turn in their relationship, that she was special. And even beyond that, she was sure that he knew better than her that he could have anything he wanted. Even the fact that he chose her, that he wanted to marry her, showed just how much he loved her.

If only she could convince her heart of that. She just felt so vulnerable when it came to Mon-El, paralyzed with the fear of losing him.

“Kara…” She felt him cup her cheeks, and only then she could open her eyes. There was a soft smile on his face as he looked at her, a smile that calmed her fears even before his words. “I want you. I chose you, and honestly, it was the best damn decision I’ve ever made in my life. I won’t regret this, okay?” He stopped, searching his face. A small smile pulled her lips.

“Okay.”

“And besides,” Mon-El continued as an afterthought, “you’re going to be such an amazing queen that in a couple of years, people will forget you weren’t a princess anyway. They’ll love you. I’m sure of that.” Kara’s heart skipped a beat.

“Yeah?”

“I mean… I love you, and I like to think I’m a good judge of people.” Kara couldn’t help laughing at that, leaning forward to press her forehead on his chest. She shook her head.

“Way to ruin the romantic moment.”

“Hmm-mmm,” he just murmured, a hand sneaking up her back to stroke her hair. His touch was soft, almost as if he didn’t want to ruin her hair or dress. They stayed like that for a second, seeking the comfort of each other after an emotional rollercoaster of a day. Especially considering how risky and scary what they were about to do was, they needed this moment.

At least until it was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in,” Mon-El called out, pulling back to look at the door. Eve’s face appeared behind it with a smile.

“The preparations are done, your majesties,” she announced. Kara’s heart jumped to her throat.

Well, guess there was no backing down now.

“The people are waiting for you.”

* * *

The ballroom was filled with people to the brim, so much so that there was barely a place to move except the cordoned off stage in the front. It was close to 1 a.m., and most of the people were wondering why they were pulled off from their sleep to come here, a ballroom so far away from the city or the castle that most either had to walk miles or come with the carriage provided by their Prince.

No one in that crowd would admit it, but most knew the only reason they were here was that they all were told, by the Prince’s personal guards and servants, that the Prince was going to make an important announcement. If it had been anyone else, no one would bother—well, except maybe if it was Rhea. Everyone knew how cruel their Queen could be. But it was Mon-El. He was maybe the only royalty in years that genuinely cared about them. He helped them in numerous ways, and it was thanks to him so many families were living in comfort and even luxury instead of poverty. They owed him for that.

And, well, they also loved him immensely. Everyone was there because they actually cared about what he was to say. Even the ones with children or elderly to care about at home had either sent one person from the household or their neighbors to hear the announcement. Even though Mon-El had told the castle workers not to force anyone—it had just been a request, and he would never hold it against anyone if they couldn’t come. He expected at the very least a small attendance, yet even he couldn’t imagine this big a crowd.

“Just how many people came?” he whispered to Winn, his guard and best friend, backstage after taking a peek inside the ballroom. Winn looked exceptionally happy as he answered.

“Around five thousand people, if I’m not wrong.” Mon-El arched his brow. “Most are waiting outside, so we’re working to set up a camera and TV system so that we can record it live and show it to them as well. It should take just a couple of minutes or so, and then you’re on. Let me check how much time is left.” Mon-El took a deep breath as he nodded and watched his friend leave, feeling anxious for the first time that night. He’d been so focused on keeping Kara by his side and protecting her from his mother that he hadn’t actually had time to think what they were about to do. Not that he didn’t want to marry her, but…if Rhea found out, it could technically count as treason. And how would he know that the people would react well to the announcement? What if they did want him to marry some princess? He needed their support to throw down his mother, and just the fact that the castle employees loved him and Kara didn’t mean everyone would.

He was scared, because he knew that this could end terribly, just as it could turn into something beautiful.

“Mon-El?” His thoughts were interrupted by a very familiar voice coming from his right. Alex. She was standing next to him in a red lace gown, her arms crossed over her chest and a smile pulling his red lips.

“Alex?” Alex had come? Yes, it was basically her sister’s wedding and nobody, especially not Alex, would want to miss that, but everything had happened so quickly that Kara wasn’t sure whether her sister would be able to make it to Daxam in time. The university wasn’t so close to the castle.

But apparently, everything was possible when it was family.

“Oh, don’t look at me like you just saw a ghost,” Alex said with a laugh, stepping forward. “If I’m gonna be your sister-in-law now, I want a warmer welcome.”

Mon-El shook away his thoughts. “Sorry, I was just… You made it?” Alex snorted.

“To my sister’s wedding? Duh. I would’ve found a way to teleport here if I thought I couldn’t.” Mon-El couldn’t help smiling. Alex would definitely do that, he was sure. “And besides, I had a few words to have with you.”

_Uh-oh,_ Mon-El thought. “Am I in trouble?”

“I mean, you didn’t ask for my _blessing._ ” She arched her brow. _Uh-oh._

“I…” Mon-El tried to say, his heart stuttering in his chest. “I mean, it all happened so fast, I just—“

“Mon-El,” Alex laughed, her face softening. “I’m joking. Kara told me what happened. It’s not a big deal.” She searched his face, uncrossing her arms. “You really stuck up for her, didn’t you?”

It was more of a comment than a question, yet Mon-El still nodded. He closed his eyes. “Rhea ruined my life enough. I couldn’t let her take away the most important person from me.”

Alex spoke after a couple of seconds of silence. “You love her.” Mon-El didn’t even hesitate.

“Yeah. And I’ll take good care of her, you know. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll treat her right.”

“Oh, I know you will,” Alex dismissed it, as if it was so easy. As if she knew exactly how much Mon-El cared about Kara. “You know,” she continued with a smile, “when Kara told me that she was ‘in kind of a romantic-kind of relationship with the prince’—those were her exact words, believe me—I was furious.”

“Oh?”

“Well, you didn’t exactly have a stellar reputation then.” Alex arched her brow, and…Mon-El had to agree with her. He knew better than anyone that he wasn’t a good person before meeting Kara. “I thought you were playing with her, this servant that was stupid enough to fall in love with you. I thought you’d only hurt her. Kara and I…had a pretty big fight that day.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. And I think you should know that Kara never stopped believing in you, no matter how many times I told her otherwise.” Mon-El smiled. That was just like his Kara: She never gave up on the people she cared about, even when the whole world was against her. “She told me that you were a good person, you loved her, and she’d prove it to me. That was a week before you two came to visit me.” His eyes turned to Alex with surprise. She was smiling. “It took me about a second to realize how wrong I was about you. I mean, I might not be much of a people person, but I can understand when someone is being real or not. Your love for Kara…it was real.”

“Well,” Mon-El let out a breath, “I guess that explains the absolutely furious look you had on your face when you saw us at the door.” Alex glared at him. “What?”

“Oh, whatever. I just wanted to tell you that I support your marriage. Even beyond all this shit going on with your mother and Daxam, even beyond your duties… You two deserve to be together.”

Mon-El’s throat tightened with those words. Alex had been honest when she said she wasn’t a people person—which meant that she didn’t usually express her feelings to others. But what she said just now… It had been completely honest.

“Thank you.” He offered her back a smile.

Winn appeared in the room then, a smile on his face. “We’re ready,” he announced, “and if you want to know, I think the number of people outside are now about seven thousand. So… Just FYI.” Alex’s brow inched up with that. She glanced at Mon-El with an amused smile.

“Well, break a leg, I guess.” And then she was gone, leaving Mon-El with Winn and a crowd of thousands of people to address. Even though his heart was thundering in his chest, he straightened his shoulders confidently before turning to Winn.

“If you’re ready, then I’m ready.”

* * *

The crowd went silent the moment Mon-El stepped onto the stage. Kara was watching from a private room that was just situated across from the ballroom thanks to Winn, who connected the television set to the cameras outside. She didn’t know how a guard knew so much about techy stuff, but Winn had proven himself time to time to be smart in so many things that it didn’t come as a surprise to Kara.

She was also glad for it, because she could watch Mon-El address his people from the comfort of this very fancy room. And when the time came, she would go to his side so that their marriage could be officiated—so that they could marry.

They were getting married. _Married._ Oh God, even the thought of it made her chest flutter. It was like standing on top of a cliff, looking down at the sea crashing the rocks, minus the fear it would probably bring. It was…exhilarating. Joyful. Excited. But most of all…content. Not in a bad way, like you would be content to something because you know you couldn’t get something better, but content as in she felt completely at peace with her life. She wouldn’t have it any other way. And looking at the future…what else could one ask for, except being happy with someone they loved dearly and someone who loved them back just as much? Life wasn’t all about excitement and adventure.

She couldn’t help smiling at that thought, and at Mon-El standing on the stage looking down at the crowd—his people, and soon enough hers as well. He had donned a serious expression, just as he always did whenever he needed to take care of a princely duty. This was his “prince” persona—stern, strong, unyielding, smart and objective, yet still kind and understanding, especially towards people who hadn’t had the best luck in life. Not that he wasn’t strong or smart deep inside, but among the people that he knew and loved, even he would admit he was different. He was more personal, more open to suggestions, more…himself.

She liked him both ways, but she had to admit, he was the most precious to her when he was just being himself.

She also couldn’t help feeling proud that she was the one, in his words, that brought that person out of his shell.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Mon-El started, taking her out of her thoughts. “I want to thank you for coming here at this time of the night, sacrificing from your sleep. I am sure most of you have duties to take care of, so I am immensely grateful for the incredible attendance, and for each and every one of you.” Kara couldn’t help smiling. Of course Mon-El would start his speech by thanking the people. He knew, on the contrary to _some people_ , that being the prince was a privilege, not a right. He owed it to his people.

“I am sure you’re wondering why I invited you here this late. The reason is that I needed this meeting to be secret. What I want to do isn’t exactly approved by the Queen, so there’s a certain danger attached to it. Knowing that, if you want to leave, I cannot keep you here, and I won’t hold it against you.” He stopped and looked up, waiting for people to leave if they wanted to—his face betrayed no emotion, but Kara knew him enough to read his expression and know that he didn’t expect anyone to stay.

No one left. Kara’s eyes filled with happy tears. _This loyalty is what you inspire, Mon-El._

“Thank you,” he said before continuing, his voice showing a hint of shakiness to show that he wasn’t entirely unaffected. Clearing his throat, he returned to his speech. “As you might all know, a couple of years ago, I was made aware of the horrible situation my kingdom was in. The people were living in hunger and suffering without a way out of it and without a helpful hand extended to them. The realization was devastating for me, and what hurt more was the fact that I’d done nothing to change it. That was what I’ve been trying to do for the last couple of years—to pull this kingdom up from the hole that, sadly, my parents pushed it into. And there was one person that had been by my side through everything that helped me accomplish everything I’ve done until now. She’d been my teacher, my supporter, and eventually…” A little smile appeared on Mon-El’s face—a smile that fluttered Kara’s heart—as he stopped briefly. “My girlfriend.”

A gasp was heard in the crowd. Mon-El just smiled at it, as if what he was about to say wasn’t going to change the lives of everyone. Wasn’t going to change…Kara’s life. She held her breath. What everyone was going to say to his offer, how everyone was going to react would dictate her and Mon-El’s next step. If everyone left… There was no way they could walk to the castle and overthrow Rhea. They needed the people’s support.

Kara hoped for the best, but… She also didn’t want to be too hopeful if everything went wrong.

“Now, I want to be completely honest with you. Kara—that’s her name—isn’t the daughter of a king. She’s not royalty, she’s not of a rich family, she’s not the owner of a company or a brilliant scientist—well, at least not yet. She was a servant when I met her”—another gasp and a couple whispers interrupted him for a couple of seconds—“but she’s still the smartest and kindest person I’ve ever known, and I am sure, if, given the chance, she’ll be an amazing Queen. But most importantly…I love her.”

He stopped to gauge the reaction of the audience. They were only looking at him without even breathing.

She saw the first signs of worry showing on Mon-El’s face. His lips tightened and his brows creased. It must’ve taken a lot from him to continue.

“My mother doesn’t approve of our relationship.” Kara closed her eyes when she heard the shakiness in his voice. Oh God, this was going downhill, fast. “She thinks Kara isn’t worthy enough to be with me, but I know in my heart that she’s wrong. I know in my heart that if Kara was to be the Queen of this kingdom, she’d lead us all into prosperity and wealth, happiness and comfort. And she’d…make me happy in a way no one else can.”

_Oh, Mon-El…_

“So I asked you to come here tonight, because I wanted you to witness our union. My mother might not approve of her, but as I’m sure all of you has seen at least once in your life, Rhea isn’t a good queen.” Kara wasn’t sure what surprised the audience into a gasp more at that point—the fact that their prince just announced he was getting married, or that he called their Queen by her first name. “So help me—help _us_ overthrow her, and I promise you that no one in this country will have to live in hunger and misery anymore.”

When Mon-El finished his words, the room went silent. Kara couldn’t dare opening her eyes. She heard the door open, and she knew who it must’ve been before she even looked—Winn and Alex. They were here to scoop her up and rush her away if things went downhill and people accused Mon-El of being a traitor. Even their presence here suggested that they weren’t hopeful—

An applause rang in the room, so loud that Kara wouldn’t need the television to hear it—it would reach her through the door as well. Her eyes flew open. The people were…applauding?

“Is that real?” she heard Alex ask as the woman stepped forward to look at the screen. It showed the crowd, clapping their prince with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes, their relief and love palpable. A small chuckle escaped Kara’s lips.

“I think… I think that is. I think…” She couldn’t continue for a moment as tears clogged her throat. “I think they love us.” Alex smiled back at her sister.

“Well, duh.” That earned a glare. “What? I’m just telling the truth. You’re both loveable.”

“You only say that because you know us.”

“I don’t think so. I have a feeling there’s a whole crowd of people out there that would agree with me.”

Kara was about to scold her sister again before she stopped. What was the point of arguing? This was… Well, today had turned into a day of happiness very quickly. She didn’t want to argue today.

“Kara?” Winn’s voice brought her back to reality. She turned to him, the corners of her lips tipping up into a smile when she saw the happiness in his eyes. Happiness for his best friend and his country. “I think it’s time.”

Kara nodded hastily as she smoothed her dress. She linked her arm through her sister’s—if their parents couldn’t be here to walk them down the aisle, she wouldn’t want the person to be anyone but Alex. Her sister offered her a smile.

“Well, if that’s the case,” she told Winn as she led Kara to the door, “then let’s get you married, shall we?”


	5. The Crown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all!!!
> 
> i know it's been like forever since i posted anything, but the last two weeks i had my final exams, so my parents basically wanted me to get off any kind of social media. i could barely write out of stress, BUTTTT since my exams are finished right now, i can write all i want! so yay! so hopefully, the updates will be faster.
> 
> i also am working on a new multichapter AU for Karamel, which is a secret for now but i hope to start posting it soon, so there's also that which put me a bit behind on my other works :) i hope i can get a more balanced writing schedule in the summer now :)
> 
> annnyyway, hope you like this chapter! :)

* * *

 

Kara looked stunning. Lying on the bed next to him, with the first lights of the day illuminating her hair, she looked beautiful in her innocence and purity, in her comfort and care, in…in everything that she was. Her hand was resting right between her and Mon-El, her rings—the wedding band and the engagement ring—shining on her finger.

Yep, Kara definitely looked stunning.

And no, Mon-El didn’t think that just because Kara was his wife now and he was elated about that fact. He _was_ , but Kara always looked stunning. It was just that… That he couldn’t actually believe they were _married_. Even in his wildest dreams he could never hope for it. Too much could go wrong with their relationship. Rhea could find out and intervene—as she did. She could marry him off to some foreign princess before he could object. Or…

Or Kara could realize that she deserved much better than him.

Sure, he’d changed since they met. Five years ago he was lazy, proud, self-centered and uncaring. He might’ve been unhappy with himself, but he wasn’t doing anything to change that. Only thanks to Kara that he realized he didn’t have to be that person. Being a prince didn’t necessarily mean he had to think he was above everyone. Just the opposite—as a ruler, he had to care about his people and look for their best interest. Ever since then, he was trying everything he can, with whatever power he had, to help his people, yet even then he didn’t think it would be enough to deserve a girl like Kara. She was… Well, not perfect, but warriors didn’t need to be perfect. They needed to be strong, smart, and selfless. They needed to be caring and kind. And Kara was just…all of that.

“You know I can feel you watching me, right?” Kara’s soft words brought him out of his thoughts. He smiled, putting a hand on her cheek and pushing her hair away.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I didn’t say that.” Kara snuggled up to him, moving her hand to his bare chest without even opening his eyes. “I like you watching me.”

Mon-El couldn’t help laughing. “Well, that’s good, because I like watching you.” He stopped for a moment, just enough time to allow the weight of the situation to come back. He sighed. “I just wanted to enjoy this moment before…”

Kara’s eyes flickered open. Their blue looked stormy. “I know,” she whispered before letting him speak. They…hadn’t explicitly talked about it, but they knew what their wedding meant. A sign of rebellion against Rhea. And thus, they needed to attack before Rhea got a word of it, before _she_ could destroy what Kara and Mon-El had.

There were a lot of things in the world that Mon-El could handle, but losing this…losing Kara…wasn’t one of them.

“I’m scared,” he admitted. He wouldn’t say this to anyone else—not even Winn. Even though the guy was his best friend, right now a friend wasn’t what he needed. He—and all of his people—needed a strong leader.

Kara nodded. “Me too.” She moved her hand down his arm to hold his hand and lace their fingers together. Even that alone revealed that this could truly be the last moment they spent together. “Do you think we bit off more than we can chew?”

Mon-El wished he could say no. “I don’t know.” Kara’s eyes flickered to him.

“Shouldn’t you be comforting me with your princely promises?” she teased him, a bit dryly, but it still earned a small smile from Mon-El. He shrugged.

“I’m just Mon-El with you.” He squeezed her hand, and then brought it to his chest. “But…if something goes wrong today, I want you to know that spending the last four years with you was worth it. I don’t regret anything.” A small chuckle left Kara’s lips.

“Even our grueling tutoring sessions?”

“Well, considering that was how I fell in love with you…” His voice trailed off when he saw curiosity flickering in Kara’s eyes. She propped her head up. “What?”

“You know, we’ve talked all about how you fell for me, but you never told me when you actually realized it.” He arched his brow, hoping that the blush on his cheeks wasn’t all that visible. He… Well, it didn’t take him too long to fall in love with her—at least he didn’t think three weeks was that long a time—and it was…it was so pathetic and embarrassing that he never really told Kara. A prince, falling in love with a girl _that soon?_ Even if that girl was Kara and him being the prince didn’t matter all that much? It just showed how desperate he was to be loved.

“Why does that matter now?” he tried to ask to deflect, yet a mischievous smile had already pulled Kara’s lips.

“That blush on your face says it matters.” She tugged him closed, widening her eyes to give him her “puppy look”. And…there was no one that could resist her puppy look. “Come on. I told you when I fell in love with you.” (Which was much later than Mon-El, admittedly, but at least he was glad to know it was before he gave her his birthday gift. It just showed that she loved him _for him_ first, not because he gave her a fancy gift. Though, admittedly, she’d said that helped, but…)

“I just—I don’t think it’s necessary for you to know,” he tried to deflect…unsuccessfully. She moved even closer, brushing her toes up his legs to distract him. Not that it didn’t work…

“I think it is necessary—wait. Please tell me it wasn’t love at first sight.” Mon-El’s eyes flickered to her.

“No. Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, but…his voice sounded too high for his own good. Kara arched her brow.

“That didn’t sound very convincing.”

“I—“ Mon-El sighed, turning on his back. Kara immediately scooted closer and put a hand on his chest, waiting for an answer. He wasn’t getting out of this with his dignity, was he? “It was three weeks after you started tutoring me.” He glanced at Kara to see if she was laughing.

She just looked curious.

Well, that was at least…something. He took a deep breath. “I wasn’t listening to you, so you told me that you wouldn’t tutor me unless I did. I thought you were giving up on me like…like basically everyone around me, because I was a lost cause, but instead you told me you believed in me.” He turned to her. “It was the first time anyone told me they believed in me.” A smile pulled Kara’s lips.

“I wasn’t lying then, by the way,” she said, as if she needed to point that out. Mon-El chuckled.

“I know, I know. But…I couldn’t tell you that I liked you then, because it wasn’t the right kind of love. Not at first.”

“Oh?”

“I was selfish then, Kara.” The amused glint in Kara’s eyes told him that she agreed with him. “I fell for you because you cared about me, not for who you are. That came later, you know, when I…realized that you were amazing because you were you, not because you cared about me.”

“Aww. That’s so sweet.” He glared at her. “I meant it as a compliment.”

“Yeah, I bet ‘sweet’ is the compliment every guy is looking for.”

_“Mon-El,”_ she warned him, her brows arched. He sighed. She was always able to see through him, didn’t she?

“I was just… You know, trying to lighten the mood. Before… Before we have to…” Kara sighed, resting her head on his chest. She didn’t say anything…but she didn’t really have to. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

“You know the plan, right?” he still couldn’t help asking her. “If something goes wrong?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t mean I like it.”

“Kara, you know I can’t have you get hurt.”

“What about you?” She lifted her head up to look at him. “What about you getting hurt? I can’t… How do you expect me to just leave you back in that castle with that…that woman and escape?”

“I’m the prince and…and her son,” he pleaded with her yet again, just like all the times they had this conversation. If their plan didn’t work, he had a much better chance of surviving than her. “She already threatened to kill you once, Kara. I’m not…I’m not risking your life.”

Kara searched for her husband’s face intently. She knew very well that he was scared. Hell, she was scared as well. Everything about this had been going right all along, which was too good to be true. She was worried it would crash and burn sooner than she expected. And if that happened, how could Mon-El expect her to leave? They were in this together, weren’t they?

But she kept those thoughts to herself. Right now, Mon-El needed to focus, and she doubted an argument would help with that. “Okay, fine,” she said, resting her head back on his chest. She felt his muscles relax.

“Thank you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss on her hair.

Kara wondered if he’d be thanking her tonight once he found out that she had lied.

* * *

Guards flanked Kara and Mon-El’s side as they made their way through the castle. They had ten of them—five by Kara and five by Mon-El. It might’ve been a bit of overkill, but they were going against _Queen Rhea,_ who always had a plan B up her sleeve. Mon-El wasn’t risking anything.

Other than that, they were followed by castle employees, who insisted on being there for support no matter how dangerous it would be. If Rhea won today, she’d surely remember everyone who went against her, and Mon-El was pretty sure their life would be ruined. Yet no matter how many time he told them that, they didn’t listen.

Besides, their support would be needed. Mon-El and Kara needed all the support they could get.

Halfway through the castle halls, Mon-El felt Kara’s hand slipping into his. He glanced at her briefly. Her back was straight, her lips were pulled tight, and there was no sign of the happy-go-lucky girl he’d woken up with that morning. She looked like a woman. She looked…queenly, especially in her red and blue gown and the tiara on her head (well, she was a princess now, after all). If everything went right today, she might as well be a queen.

He couldn’t help smiling, even though it was a brief smile. He squeezed her hand, hoping that she would understand everything he was feeling through that. Every ounce of love he had for her, even though he didn’t quite have the words to explain it. But didn’t everyone always say that it was actions that mattered, not words?

Even though sometimes, words were needed to complete the actions—to put meaning behind them.

“Kara?” he whispered as they neared the doors of the throne room. Kara’s eyes turned to him. “I love you.”

A smile flickered on her lips. “I love you, too,” she said.

Those were the last words they told each other before they put their hands on the doors and pushed it open.

“…I want the Krypton deal gone. I don’t care what steps we need to—Mon-El?” The moment the group entered the room, Rhea’s words were cut. Shock had splashed on her face. It was obvious that Kara and Mon-El caught him in the middle of a meeting—a meeting to undo the Krypton deal, if what they heard indicated anything. Mon-El grimaced. His mother…never changed.

Yet he didn’t let that back him down. And he ignored the glares his mother sent Kara’s way, instead pulling her closer. Winn was _right beside_ Kara anyway in any case, to get her out if things went sideways.

“Mother. We need to talk.” Rhea’s lips pulled into a thin grimace. Yet instead of facing her son, Rhea stood up, walking down her throne and away from Daxam’s high council, her eyes focused on Kara.

“I thought I told you to leave this castle by today,” she said quietly, yet somehow it was even scarier than a yell. “I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to come back, in such a dress, no less.”

Mon-El had expected Kara to cower, yet somehow that girl could have the will of a lion when she wanted to. She lifted her chin. “It’s a dress worthy of a princess, your highness,” she said, turning her hand just enough to show the Queen her wedding band. Pride flickered in Mon-El’s chest. _That’s my girl._

He turned to Rhea. “We’re married, mother. She’s my wife and the princess of Daxam. She belongs in this castle.”

Rhea stayed silent for a second, eyeing her son. “You went behind my back?” she asked quietly. Yet Mon-El didn’t back down. He was _done_ being afraid of his mother. He was _done_ trying to appease her, to not anger her, to do what he wanted. The woman obviously didn’t care about him—or anything, really. So why should he care about her?

“You terrorized this kingdom enough, mother. I would want to do this more peacefully, but I knew you wouldn’t listen.” The guards stepped forward and closer to Kara and Mon-El for protection. “So I want you to step down from the throne before any of us get hurt.”

“Mon-El, what are you talking about?” Mon-El’s father, Lar, finally joined the conversation. He…wasn’t a bad person, per se, but he wasn’t…anything, really. He didn’t much care about ruling Daxam, and rather let his wife take the reigns—literally. He instead spent time enjoying himself, whatever that meant for the King. Mon-El didn’t have that much of a good relationship with him either.

“I want you to step down. This kingdom needs you to step down,” Mon-El repeated himself. A short cheer was heard from behind. Rhea’s eyes flickered to the people—the employees she knew, that she _trusted_. Anger flickered in her eyes.

“And what if I refuse to step down, Mon-El?” Rhea stepped down from her throne, closer to Mon-El and Kara. He knew he shouldn’t hesitate, especially facing his mother, yet saying the words was still hard.

“Then I will make you.” His guards stepped forward, their hands on the hilt of the swords, their eye focused on the woman who used to be their Queen. _Used to be,_ Mon-El was saying, because he knew none of the guards were loyal to her anymore—not after Rhea tried to hurt their prince.

Rhea’s eyes flickered on them, and then a laugh left her chest. She turned to her husband. “Do you hear that, Lar? Our _son_ thinks that he and his little pet servant can just replace us as king and queen.”

“She is your _princess_ now, Mother. You should respect her,” Mon-El interrupted, squeezing Kara’s hand. Rhea’s eyes, filled with anger, snapped at her.

“And what gives you the right to decide?”

“The right that the gods of Daxam gave me as the prince.” With a flick of his wrist, he ordered one of the guards to bring the constitution of Daxam. “The right that our constitution gave us, which is stated in article one, section three, paragraph eight: ‘The wife or husband of any prince or princess of Daxam shall be taken into the royal family and considered equal to his or her prince or princess, and shall rule beside them, if he or she ever ascend to the throne.’ Kara and I are husband and wife now, mother. She is legally the princess.” Again, with a flick of his wrist, the guard handed her mother the marriage contract—signed by the holy priest. Now no one could go against _that._

His mother’s mocking look turned into a sneer as she realized this wasn’t a mere joke or unplanned attack. This was serious. She lifted her head.

“You think this will scare me away?” She dangled it as if it was nothing—and Mon-El couldn’t stop himself anymore. He’d let this continue enough.

“Well, somebody has to stop _you,_ mother!” Stepping forward, he took a deep breath. “You had always wanted me to study. You said the future king of Daxam should be educated. At first I didn’t understand, but now I’m glad I did. That was how I was able to learn about our history, about all the great kings and queens that came before us and made this kingdom into a place people were happy to live in. That was how I learned about psychology, how to talk to others, understand their problems, and try to help them. That was how I learned about science, and how we can and _should_ use it to better the world around us. And that’s how I learned how to be a proper king, who takes care of his kingdom, who puts his people before himself, who gives everyone a safe and happy life. That is not the kind of queen you are, and I think it’s time for _me_ to put a stop to that—for the sake of everyone.” He stopped, breathing hard yet also feeling powerful—feeling like he was making a change, finally. Instead of working behind the covers, he had decided to fight out in the open, and he couldn’t have felt more powerful.

Yet Rhea somehow had a way of ruining that, always. And power… As exhilarating as it could be, it could also be blinding. Blinding to something imperative.

Rhea stepped forward—but not towards him, towards Kara. Her eyes were not leaving his wife, and damn, Kara was strong for not backing down. Rhea lifted the marriage contract…and ripped it into two pieces, just like that.

“You should’ve trusted more than a piece of paper to protect you, Mon-El,” she whispered. “You should’ve killed me in my sleep, if you wanted me out of here. You should’ve known better.” A smile pulled her lips, and the next think Mon-El saw was something shiny coming from her belt.

It took him a second to realize what it was. A knife. Not…not aimed at him, though. Aimed at _Kara._ That was why she’d walked up to her and not him, because she knew killing him would be outright treason. But without her recognizing the marriage, she could easily claim that she just wanted the best for her country. She’d gotten away with worse, at the end.

Mon-El’s heart jumped at his throat as he lurched forward. “No!” He could’ve probably reached Kara, but before he could even take one step a guard held him back—back and away from his wife, where he couldn’t protect her. He saw Kara lifting her hands as if to protect herself, he saw the knife her mother pulled out of her belt…

And then he saw a knife pressed onto his mother’s neck, slicing it in half so smoothly that the assailant’s hand mustn’t be shaking, even slightly. Rhea stumbled back, her hand dropping the knife and going to her neck, yet she couldn’t form any words. She couldn’t _speak._ The knife cut so deep that it cut off her airway.

Nobody caught her as she fell onto the floor. Most were too shocked to move—namely Kara, who still seemed unable to process what had just happened ( _She was almost killed,_ Mon-El couldn’t help thinking. Rhea had almost killed her.) Others were too far away to reach her in time. But one person was near enough to catch her, yet let her fall.

One person with a bloody knife in his hand. Lar Gand, the king of Daxam and Rhea’s husband.

It took Mon-El a couple of seconds to put the pieces together. Lar had killed Rhea…before she could kill Kara.

His eyes snapped up to Lar. “Father?” he could only whisper, looking at the man’s cold face. If it wasn’t for his paleness, one would assume Lar wasn’t fazed with what he’d done, at all. Stepping away from the body, he turned to his son.

“I couldn’t let him hurt you anymore, son,” he tried to explain. Arching his brows Mon-El tried to catch Kara’s eyes, just to see what she was thinking of all of this. Yet she was too shell-shocked to look at him, huddled up in Winn’s arms, another guard protectively standing in front of her. Not that Mon-El complained. She almost died. What he feared most almost came true.

He turned back to his father. “What does that mean?” he couldn’t help asking with a shaky voice. He was trying not to look at his mother—well, his mother’s body at this point, because she was dead. She couldn’t even live long enough to see that it was her husband that ended her life.

God, that was…going to take some time to come to terms with.

“I know you think I didn’t care much about anything, really, or that I didn’t notice what was going on around me.” Well, that much was true, at least. “But I did. I knew what Rhea was doing to this kingdom—to you. I was just too loyal to her to do anything about it, until now.” He looked down at her—now dead—wife. “But you were right, Mon-El. This kingdom does deserve better than her. Better than us. Someone who cares for it the way we never had. And that’s you.”

“Me?”

“I’m not blind to what you’ve done for everyone. What you and Kara have done.” He turned to the woman in question, a look of respect on his face. Wow. _Wow_. That was…certainly not what Mon-El expected. “You’ve tried your best to pull this kingdom up from the hole we put it into. Mon-El, we’ve never had a one-hundred-percent primary school education rate in decades. The starvation and homelessness rates dropped since you started taking action in the ruling of this kingdom. Our polls show that our people have never been happier in the last couple of years. You did all that, and if you’re given the chance, I know you can do more.” Stepping forward, Lar reached up to take off his crown. Mon-El’s eyes widened as the people in the room gasped. Not that the king could never take off his crown, but he was only supposed to do that in the privacy of his room. Taking it off in public was symbolic—an indication that he was passing it off.

“Father, what are you doing?” Mon-El tried to ask, stepping forward. “You can’t—“

Lar didn’t let him speak.

“As of now, I step down from the throne, giving up all the titles and rights I hold over the crown. I name my son, Prince Mon-El, as the king of Daxam.” He placed the crown over Mon-El’s head before he could even speak. “Congratulations, son.” He pressed a kiss on his son’s forehead before stepping back. Mon-El could only watch his father, still baffled by…by what happened in the span of a few minutes.

And just like he always had done when he was unsure of himself, he looked at Kara. She seemed to have pulled herself together significantly in the last couple of moments, and while signs of stress were still apparent on her face, she was smiling at him. She nodded, indicating her support. At the end, this might not be how they planned things out, but they got what they wanted. They got what their people wanted.

He looked at his best friend, Winn’s, eyes, seeing the glint of happiness, and that was enough for him to turn around to his people— _his people_ now, literally—with a smile. There was…a lot he needed to deal with later, but right now, he needed to show that he was confident in his position. His people needed that confidence.

He didn’t know who started it first, but someone in the crowd yelled out, “Long live, King Mon-El!” It spread like wildfire, filling the courtroom, filling Mon-El’s heart with happiness. He reached out his hand to Kara, and without a hesitation she held it. So they stood there, together, as the new King and Queen of Daxam, with the chants of their people in their ears.

* * *

Kara stepped out of the shower, drying her hair with a towel. After the day they had, she needed it more than anything—to wash off everything. Then, she hadn’t had time to truly process what happened, but now that it had caught up to her, it was…heavy. In a matter of minutes, she’d watched Mon-El’s mother, Rhea, pull a knife on her, get killed by her husband, and the same husband crown Mon-El the king of Daxam. They’d had to seize the moment then, to make sure people accepted Mon-El as the king, but now…

Now they were in the privacy of their room—Mon-El’s room, honestly, as they weren’t ready to just take the King and Queen’s chamber just yet—they didn’t have to be king and queen. They were just Kara and Mon-El, and…well, as horrible as Rhea had been as a queen and as a mother, Kara had to remember that her husband had just lost his mother.

That was bound to be horrible, no matter what.

Dropping the towel onto the armchair, Kara turned to look for Mon-El, finding him standing in front of his table, looking at…

The King’s crown. His crown now.

“Mon-El?” she whispered, moving up to him. She moved her hand on his back for comfort, and let him pull her close. Reaching up, she pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Mon-El answered instinctively. Kara shot him a glare.

“Babe, we’re not in front of anyone right now. You don’t have to pretend with me.” She leaned forward to catch his eyes. “I can’t believe you still haven’t learned that in the last four years, especially now that we’re married.” Mon-El finally turned to look at her, a small smile on his lips. He sighed.

“You’re right. I just… I don’t really know how I’m feeling.”

“You can always try to describe it,” Kara offered. Mon-El stayed silent for a while, watching the crown, before he ducked his chin.

“I feel like I have to feel sad. I know my mother wasn’t perfect, but she was still my mother. And now she’s gone. But… I just feel relieved. Yes, there’s this…this emptiness inside me, but it’s not because I miss her. It’s just…longing for what we never had. I’m just glad it’s over.” He looked over at her. “Does that make me a bad person?”

Kara snorted. “Do you really have to ask?” She rubbed his back. “It makes you human, Mon-El. And besides, Rhea has never been much of a mother to you. She’s never been much of a queen. Now that she’s gone, you can truly change this country for the better.”

“You really think so?” Mon-El asked, a hint of insecurity in his voice. Kara just smiled and pressed a kiss on his lips.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t have married a prince who was going nowhere.” That earned a small laugh from Mon-El. He stole a kiss from her lips.

“Thank you, Kara. For everything. I…I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.” Kara just shrugged dismissively. He might be right, in that it was her that pulled him out of his mother’s influence, but still an essence of that good prince had to be inside him for her to reveal it.

“Maybe. But the past doesn’t matter now. We have a long future ahead of us.” She reached for the crown. “You have a kingdom to rule—“

“ _We_ have a kingdom to rule,” Mon-El corrected her. She smiled.

“Right. And in the middle of all the work that is bound to be thrown on our shoulders, we’ll have each other. That’s all that matters.” Mon-El returned his wife’s smile, wrapping his arms around her.

“Yeah. That’s all that matters.” He closed the distance between them to kiss her.


End file.
